WSO STATEMENT ON THE PASSING OF MANMEET SINGH BHULLAR

The World Sikh Organization of Canada is shocked and deeply saddened by the sudden passing of MLA Manmeet Singh Bhullar today.

Dr. Amritpal Singh Shergill said today, ” Our deepest condolences to Manmeet’s wife and family. Words simply cannot do justice to the loss we are feeling and the void his passing has created.

In a very short life of just 35 years Manmeet accomplished things most do not in a lifetime. He was the first turbaned Sikh to serve as a cabinet minister in Alberta and dedicated himself to creating real change on issues that matter such as support for victims of sexual abuse. The WSO had the privilege to work with Manmeet on achieving the accommodation of the kirpan in Alberta courthouses and more recently in holding the Sikh Youth Leadership Institute this past summer in Calgary. Neither would have been possible without his support and assistance. Over the past six months, Manmeet had been working tirelessly on the issue of Sikhs and other minority communities in Afghanistan that are facing persecution. We will honour his memory by continuing where he left off. ”

WSO legal counsel Balpreet Singh said, “I had the honour of working closely with Manmeet on several files and calling him a friend. He genuinely cared about serving others and dedicated his life to making his community and country a better place. Manmeet’s honest and straightforward approach will be sorely missed. We have lost one of our brightest stars today.”

The World Sikh Organization of Canada (WSO) is a non-profit organization with a mandate to promote and protect the interests of the Sikh Diaspora, as well as to promote and advocate for the protection of human rights of all individuals, irrespective of race, religion, gender, ethnicity, and social and economic status.